He looks like Pat Burrel.

Neil;

Are you going to be at hte Press Conference. You ought to be as your site does one of the best jobs reporting Cubs News and providin a forum for Cubs fans.

We'll see what the "new boss" has in mind. I hope he is going to bring in some top baseball people to run the operation or guide him. We'll soon see if he can back up the talk of building a tradition...seems to me Andy McPhail said the same thing... I hope he doesn't think he can direct the baseball operations and I know Hendry is not the man to "build the new tradition"

Hallelujah the blessed day has arrived!
Welcome Mr. Ricketts and Family....

I cannot wait to hear what this guy has to say! Thank you for posting links to watch live YOU ROCK NEIL!!!

A new beginning !!! The 3rd owner in my lifetime...such a rarity!!!

Although I don't expect the changes to come overnight...and there will be bumps...This is extremely hopeful.

I wish the Ricketts family every success
and hope they can build a much better organization...one that rivals the Yankees/Boston/Angels.

I really hope JimK is around to see this.

Neil, This truly is a fabulous site...
and incredibly appreciated.

Not to rain on the parade, but weren't we all very excited and hopeful when the Trib bought the Cubs in '81. I recall the Cashman song with the line the went something like "the ammunition's a new tradition" ... turned into 28 years of the same tradition.

Call me cautiously optimistic ...

I will have a full recap up later tonight .. but I liked what I heard ... especially the way to build a champion is through player development and a minor league system.

Talking about a curse (one of the questions asked if Mr Ricketts believes in a curse), If I recall, wasn't it Crane Kinney that had the dug out blessed? Mr. Ricketts just said he will move people out if they believe in a curse!!

Sounds like they are going to stick with the current regime and evaluate after next year and that they aren't going to make any sweeping dramatic changes anytime soon. I was hoping for more of a forceful stance including some definitive ideas as to how they intend to revamp the farm system and create the world class baseball operation they have referred to. I am suprised to hear Tom say that he feels they have the talent to compete and win the WS now.

Bring back the Tribune !!!!
KIDDING !!!!! LOL

Ricketts, Ricketts, Ricketts !!!

I'm jacked up. I think they will be great.

A tidbit I picked up on...Ricketts
said that one of the things they
felt they could bring to the table
was to nurture a culture of
"accountability and excellence".

I hope they follow through on that.
That would indeed be a huge change if they brought it about.

SuzyS - Good point about the playoffs. There's no question that the last 28 years were better than the prior 40.

I thought it was refreshing to hear Ricketts' analogy to the Red Sox and wanting to use their organization as a role model. If they can follow through with that vision, the Cubs are going to be a fun organization to follow for a long time. Again, it's all going to come down to executing these visions and ideas. And there are a lot of tough decisions that lie ahead, but they seem ready and willing to put their best feet forward. Best of luck and success to our new owners!

He looks like he needs some vitamin D. (sick humor)

I liked the part about how he won't mess with something dear to his heart, Wrigley Field. He met his wife at a Cubs game.

I met a lot of kewl chiks in the bleachers over the years.

Don't expect to see much change for the next year or two.

MLB.com: Do you have some outside people you want to bring in as far as baseball operations go?

Ricketts: No. There's no thought of bringing in anybody for baseball operations. I think 2009 was disappointing relative to expectations, but looking at the bigger picture, I think the team has come a long way the last seven years. We have no intentions to make any type of quick-draw type of changes. We're going to be a long-term owner. We're going to make very thoughtful, long-term decisions. In the short run, we like the guys we have.

My favorite part was his response to the question of being a hands on owner. He responded something to the effect of I will let the baseball people handle those issues. If we interject too much we do not have anyone to look at at the end of the season. ACCOUNTABILITY!

I guess this is the way that I am looking at it. He has given Hendry just enough rope to hang with. He will give him an opportunity to clean up the "tough to watch in August" Cubs that he created. He will give him the parameters to work within, and Hendry and Kenney will either dig their way out of this or bury themselves.

Knowing that Hendry is inept, knowing that Kenney is a fool, they no doubt will do the same things they did this last offseason with their "Tweaks" and doom us to another interesting and dissapointing swan song for Lou.

By then, the Family will have a firm grasp on operating a baseball team. A firm vision that has filtered into their minor league system (Jaramillo helping the minor leage hitting coach's), and a whole mess of payroll falling off.

2011 folks...2011. Hendry will be gone, Lou will be gone, Rothschild will be gone, Kenney will be gone, Wrigley will still be Wrigley, the Ricketts will still be owners, we will still be fans, and the Chicago Cub Reclamation project can begin.

This is exciting only to know that we are watching a new era begin for our beloved team. Let's make it historic!

Looking forward to the B & B interview, they are getting heated up right now.

And I really like Scott Simon on Saturday Morning Edition (NPR), I'm sure it'll be his interview, he's true blue Cubs fan.

Thanks for the stellar reporting Neil. You really should put in for a press pass!

Boers is just mining him on Crane Kenney and what his role is! He wants to hear Ricketts say that he's FIRED, so bad. To Ricketts' credit he isn't saying much to stand up for Kenney's position. Sounds to me like Kenney is a goner. That's good.

Just heard the interview on WGN with Steve Courtney. I'm a believer. This guy is the real deal. And he admitted that he has never met Ron Santo. But he's had met Ronny Woo Woo many times. He will sit wherever he can get a ticket. (like that's gonna be a problem) That tells me that he's a real fan. For once there is a human face on the ownership. KEWL!!!!

I don't think Hendry and Kenney can do what Ricketts whats done. Hendry sucks at figuring out what to do with young talent. He thinks if they have a big contract and have a lot of hype that they can play at the major league level and so he rushes them. When they get to to the majors they get a couple chances and if they fail they get traded. If its a pitcher Rothchild burns their arm out after a few seasons and their out of baseball. Hendry has always said he never looks at long haul just season by season. This is why we have so many back end contracts with no trade clauses. Sometimes I think he thought that he was going to get fired, so he made all these back end contracts knowing that he would be gone. Maybe he will surprise me by turning this team around but I don't see it.

Same old same old. Ricketts ripped off some talk (like a politician would)about winning every year. But like a politician, you watch what they do, and not what they say. Here's what he did:
"I'm going to keep the same old losing management that has kept the club losing for 101 years. And to ensure a continued losing streak, I am not going to increase the payroll at all."

Forgetaboutit. JHendry has sunk the Cubs for at least the next five years. He's destroyed the minor league system, and he's signed a bunch of losers (Sorry-oh-no; Bradley; Miles, Funko, etc). Forgetaboutit.

Rip...it's not going to change overnight. Ricketts is a new owner...give him and the family a chance.

I think JimK was right when he said little would change to begin with...te real changes BEGINNING to happen by next October.

My guess is that Lou and Hendry will go together so that Ricketts can install
his hand picked man next year...new GM,
new manager...new management.

Kenney already sounds like he is a non issue...only around for the moment.
As you say...watch what he does...not says...but give them a full year to
acclimate and assess.

Thanks, Neil for all that you do. I look forward to meeting you at the Cubs Convention. I am there every year. It is interesting to note Mr. Ricketts's analogy to the Boston Red Sox. Remember that the Red Sox will have new spring training facilities here in Lee County in 2012. Would be very interesting to see a mini Fenway park in Fort Myers and a mini Wrigley Field in Naples both opening in 2012. Don't be surprised if Tom Ricketts has not talked to John Henry (owner of the Red Sox) about spring training in Florida.